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Are You Ready to Be a Minivan Mom?

January 30, 2019

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How do you know if you’re a minivan mom? I didn’t think I was. It seems like minivan moms are a certain type of mom. But really, they aren’t. You can be one, too! Here’s how I changed my mind and some tips for buying your first minivan and joining the minivan mom club!

Are You Ready to Be A Minivan Mom?

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I changed my mind about minivans

My parents always had SUVs when I was growing up. They still have an SUV, and they’ll only buy the same one but a newer model every few years. But they’re really the ones that changed my mind about minivans.

I didn’t want a minivan. Ever. I wasn’t the soccer mom type. They’re lame and uncool.

Well, fast forward to being pregnant and on vacation with my family in Florida. My dad always rents a minivan when we all go on vacation even though they’re adamant about owning SUVs.

The reason is that minivans are more practical especially when you’re toting a lot of people and a lot of stuff.

Now that I’m *shudder* 30, I don’t care about “cool” anymore. I want practical. I want space to cart stuff around, automatic doors, and the ability to comfortably seat 6 adults for road trips.

So if you’re more concerned about practicality rather than looking cool, you’re ready to be a minivan mom.

Minivan
Our new ride. A 2016 Dodge Grand Caravan.

So how do you know if you are ready to be a Minivan Mom?

If you can check off at least a few of these:

  • You want lots of space to haul people and/or stuff.
  • You have at least one kid or plan to have a kid or five.
  • You’re not too concerned with gas mileage. (It’s not fantastic for minivans.)
  • You like sliding doors.
  • You’re willing to embrace the Minivan Mom stereotype or just let it go.
  • You don’t mind driving a big vehicle.
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Minivans are awesome even if you just have one kid

We only have one toddler, but we wanted a minivan. It will last until she’s at least 10 or so.

She’s going to have friends that need to be transported to events. She might be in sports or in the band. If she decides to play the tuba, I’m covered. I have so much space for people and stuff.

Even though we only have one kid and one car seat, I’ve already noticed that it’s so much easier to get her in and out of the minivan.

My old Pontiac G6 was lower to the ground and the seat was in the middle so I had to climb into the car. The minivan is up higher, and the seat is right next to the door that automatically opens!

The stow and go feature is awesome because you can fold down one of the second-row seats to haul stuff. No more borrowing someone else’s car when we need to move big things like TVs or if we buy playground equipment.

You don’t need a pile of kids of your own to justify buying a minivan.

Becoming a Minivan Mom

Be prepared for people to ask you about future kids

Because the stereotype is “moms with minivans have 4 kids,” people are going to ask you if you’re having more. It’s just inevitable.

Almost every single person I’ve talked to about buying a minivan has asked us.

So if you’re the type of person that doesn’t like to discuss family plans with rando’s, just be prepared for that.

Cars.com

Find the right minivan for your family

Check out Cars.com to get an idea of what is available in your area. You can choose “search by body style” then look at all of the minivans.

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We knew that we wanted a Dodge Grand Caravan so we just searched for those specifically.

Do you want new or is used okay? We opted for a used 2016 minivan. It was originally from a rental company so it was basically brand new but $12,000 cheaper.

What features do you want? Use the menu on the left to filter your results for the features you’re looking for. Try searching for everything on your wishlist then search for just your absolute necessities.

We thought we needed Bluetooth, but when we actually saw the cars, we realized we just need an auxiliary port and a USB port. The only thing I really needed was the keyless start.

Also, if you need to sell your old car but it’s totaled, try We Buy Totaled Cars.

Becoming a Minivan Mom

Quick tips on dealing with dealers

  1. Find a dealer that buys used rental cars. They will have a fleet of minivans that usually have fewer than 25,000 miles and are basically brand new for an affordable price.
  2. Don’t take your kid(s) with you. They’re a huge distraction.
  3. Compare features and decide which ones you need and don’t need. We decided against a DVD system because tablets are a thing now.
  4. Print out a bunch of the same or similar vans from different dealers from Cars.com and take them to the dealer. Show them you’re considering a whole pile of vans and ask them what they’re willing to offer you.
  5. Want to feel like a badass? Take a test drive over to another dealer and say “They’re offering me this for this car. Beat it.” Odds are they have that exact same car.
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Are you a minivan mom?

Or are you thinking of joining the minivan mom club? Let me know in the comments below!

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Comments

  1. Kira | A Better Life Lived says

    July 31, 2017 at 6:59 am

    I also fought being a minivan mom. No reason really, just that minivans never appealed to me. I wanted an SUV. Then we got our van and I cannot imagine anything else. It was so helpful for when we needed to change Zach abruptly when we got somewhere or when I had to nurse in public places(he was hard to nurse in public). It holds so much stuff or people. We have a 2013 Kia Sedona and it’s great.

    Reply
    • Niki @ Toot's Mom is Tired says

      July 31, 2017 at 7:05 am

      I didn’t even think about diaper changes. But yeah there’s a lot of floor space. You could fold down that seat to make a changing station.

      Reply
  2. Kim@Team-Cartwright says

    August 4, 2017 at 10:26 am

    I love my minivan! It is big, but it is so wonderful. We have the kind where the second-row captains chairs fold down, and I highly recommend it. We keep one seat folded down, my son’s car seat is in the other and my twin daughter’s seats are in the third row. This gives me a big open space to load kids. If it’s raining I can get everyone in and loaded without standing in the rain. If it’s hot we have a place to wait for the car to cool down before strapping in. Love the mini van!!

    Reply
  3. Cindy says

    August 4, 2017 at 6:50 pm

    Great advice! Especially about bargaining with the dealer. I always hate that part. I am slowly on the path to getting a minivan. The mileage is the only thing holding me back. Thanks for this post!

    Reply
  4. Cynthia Severson says

    April 3, 2018 at 1:17 am

    Whether you reluctantly purchased your minivan (like me), or you were totally happy about becoming a minivan owner, I think it’s fair to say that most of us don’t plan on driving a minivan for life. I know I don’t. I’ve actually grown to love my minivan, but nothing about it makes me feel like I want to drive it forever. At some point, it will be time to give the minivan up and get a car that I really love, rather than the super practical car my family needs. So, what’s next? What do you do when you realize that your kids have grown up, life has changed, and driving a minivan just isn’t part of the plan anymore?

    Reply
    • Niki @ Toot's Mom is Tired says

      April 3, 2018 at 7:27 am

      Yeah that’s true. I’ll probably get an SUV eventually.

      Reply
  5. mary says

    February 28, 2020 at 5:01 am

    thanks for the helpful article. sometimes when moms are alone this types of article be the best friend of them

    Reply

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Toot's Mom is Tired

Hi! I’m Niki.

I’m a mom of a kid called Toot. Yes, I’m always tired!

So I’m sharing all of my tips, hacks, and recommendations for other tired moms to make parenting and mom life a little easier.

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